The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-12-20

be wounded OF dead. "a
At,the same time the two young peo-
pie were looking into each others
faces; their furious eyes flashed in the
gloom. All suddenly red light began
to spread itself in the sky over their
heads; the Buceg was all aflame. Vas
ter and vaster the gloom became, while
q high red fire rose up from the peak,
and seemed to SIT stars to the sky.
The tetrothai both remained patri-
fed with astonishment. Tile windows
of the neighboring houses began to
open, and men shouted to one another.
"rhe forest is on FIRE! The mountain
Is bnrning'' Dogs barked; cocks crew.
Pauna, catching the young man by the
shoulder, pushed him violently away
from her, exclaiming, f,t,.,..
"Go!.ny! hide yourself at once. ;1ntess
you want mo to die Of shame!'
She retired to her house, fastened tho
door, and blew out her light. With
beating heart she watched Tanase de-
part, hiding himself as he went in the
shadow Of the houses. Then she looked
at the glow on the mountain, which
was gradually fading out; and she. did
not answer her friends who called her
to.come out and see the prodigy.
From that day 'Pauna was seldom
seen in the. public street; her ruddy
lips, once SO lavish Of merry words,
smiled no more. She worked in silence,
and often felt so tired that she had to
sit down besides the fountain and cool
her forehead in water. Sometimes she
would look dreamily at the reflection
of her face in the clear surface, or lift
her eyes in a startled gaze at the high
summit of the Buceg.
All at once rnmor began to circu4
late in the village that Tanase had come
back-such one and such q one had
seen him that night by the light Of
the burning mountain--had even heard
his voice talking with Fauna. When
she was asked about it, Pauna would
answer, "You know when the noun
tain was burning, our house was dark
ana silent;" but she trembled as she
spoke, ana felt the cold sweat starting
out upon her face. Pauna's mother
only shook her head and said that Sour
stupid folk are always seeing miracles. !"
Then came the news that a great bat
tie had been fought. This time Paunaj
WAS the last to hear tho news. She
TuS11eu TO rtieS:Iouse, toert ,'stt,s.
wrapping some food in a napkin hurried
out again,
The field Of battle stretched away to-
ward the horiZon-yast under the color
lessness Of twilight. Thousands of dead
lay OH the ground. Far off the army
was camped about its bivonac fire, out
of hearing Of the means which rose
from tho wounded on the field. One
erect figure that OF q young woman
alone appeared, walking among the
dead. She had already been through the
camp, asking for Taliase. Fearlessly
she approached both friends and ell
emies, giving them water, and, con-
templating the dead with pity. Night
came, and the moon rose to illuminate
the horrible plain, Still the girl walk
ed here and there, kneeling by the
wounded, supporting on her breast the
heads Of the dying, and ever watching
for some glimpse Of her ring and her
little image among the mutilated
corpses. She shuddered once on seeing
some women robbing a dead, man, and
on hearing the sound Of bones being
broken in order to wrench away the
rings, she staggered away, but returned
in moment and gazed on the despoiled
corpse with terror.
The camp slept, and still Pauna
! wandered over the moonlight field Of
battle. From time TO time she would
call softly, ''Tanase Tanase!' More
than once moaning voice answered
her; but she would find herself bitterly
disappointed on STOPPING over the pros
trate arm to find that the wounded
man who begged for a drink was not
Tanase. Day began to make the sky
pale, and the moon was growing dim,
when Pauna perceived something gilt,
ter. On approaching she saw soldier
lying senseless, almost naked; but his
fingers clutched something fastened to
his neck. so tightly that it was evident
no one had been able to wrench those
fingers apart. Pauna recognized her
ring
"Tanasel'l She screamed, and fell be-
side the victim, whose face was hardly
recognizable for the blood that Law
upon it, She washed the beloved face,
and her tears flowed freely when she
saw that the eyes and nose had been
mangled by one frightful wound.
Assured that her lover still lived,
Fauna hastened to refresh his lips with
water, and bound UP his wounds with
her apron. A long Sigh escaped from
the lips OF the wounded man; and hear
ing himself called by name, lie raised
his hand and, cropping, touched with
isGngers the face Of Pauna.
'Ah, my little Pau,a,'' he gasped,
"let nae die here-I am blind; Of what
further use can / be in the worldY''S q.
''Nay, nayln cried Pauna; tthou art
my beloved betrothed. and with Gods
aid thou shalt soon become my hus-